Bill Morris urged to stand as ECB Chairman
The England & Wales Cricket Board could become the first British sports governing body to elect a black chairman if, as expected, Bill Morris, the former leader of the Transport & General Workers Union, announces his intention to stand as David Morgan's s
Cricinfo staff
11-Jul-2007
The England & Wales Cricket Board could become the first British sports governing body to elect a black chairman if, as expected, Bill Morris, the former leader of the Transport & General Workers Union, announces his intention to stand as David Morgan's successor.
Lord Morris, 68, was born in Jamaica but moved to Britain as a 16-year-old. As a self-confessed "cricket nut", he has served for three years as a non-executive member of the ECB management board, during which time he has worked hard on the Chance to Shine initiative which is attempting to rebuild the connection between schools and local cricket clubs.
Morris led the TGWU from 1991 to 2003 and has since served on a number of national bodies. He was appointed as a non-executive director of the Bank of England in 1998, and was a member of the Royal Commission for the Reform of the House of Lords from 1999 to 2000 - a good training ground for dealing with the backwoodsmen of the ECB.
Morris himself has been coy about his intentions, and last week said: "We have an able and competent board and any of the members would make an admirable successor to David Morgan, who will be a hard act to follow." But he is widely regarded as the most palatable choice, especially as several of his fellow board members are perceived to have maverick tendencies.
Giles Clarke, the Somerset chairman, is among the frontrunners for the role, although he remains unforgiven by many for playing a key role in brokering the deal that removed live Test cricket from terrestrial television. Meanwhile Rod Bransgrove at Hampshire has been outspoken in his attempts to bring Test cricket to the Rose Bowl. Two other candidates are expected to be the Surrey chairman, Mike Soper, and the former chief executive at Warwickshire, Dennis Amiss.
The ECB chairman will be elected by the 18 first-class counties as well as the MCC. Nominations close on July 23, the ballot will take place on August 13, and the new chairman will be officially confirmed on August 28.